India has sent ٣ tons of anti-tuberculosis medicine to Colombo to help support Sri Lanka's public health system. This shipment is part of India's commitment to enhancing public health in its neighborhood and improving the health conditions of the people of Sri Lanka.
India's commitment to supporting Sri Lanka's public health
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India's Minister of External Affairs, stated in a statement that the country is committed to supporting Sri Lanka's public health system. He remarked: "India will continue to support Sri Lanka's public health system. Today, ٣ tons of anti-tuberculosis medicine were sent to Colombo."
This action comes as member countries of the Southeast Asia region of the World Health Organization (WHO) pay more attention to their commitments in the fight against tuberculosis. In the ٧٩th session of the WHO Regional Committee, these member countries emphasized the importance of early detection, increased access to prevention and treatment, and financial support for families.
Read more: Oman hosts a training workshop for regional and international emergency medical teams
Challenges in the fight against tuberculosis
According to Dr. Nilesh Buda, head of the WHO office in the Southeast Asia region, "Tuberculosis is treatable and preventable, but it still claims the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in this region every year and drives families into poverty." He stressed the need for access to the necessary tools to change this trend and said: "We must ensure that these tools are provided to all those who need them in a timely and equitable manner."
According to regional estimates, this region will account for about ٣٤% of new tuberculosis cases globally in ٢٠٢٤. With an estimated ٣.٦٨ million cases and about ٤٣٣,٠٠٠ deaths, this situation reflects serious challenges in combating this disease. In this context, the countries of the region agreed to strengthen early and comprehensive detection methods through routine services and systematic screening.
Additionally, countries committed to using rapid diagnostics recommended by the WHO, including molecular diagnostics and digital technologies when necessary. Furthermore, the goals of improving access to quality treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis and addressing social and financial barriers in this area were emphasized.
Preventive efforts will include expanding access to preventive tuberculosis treatments for at-risk populations and strengthening infection control and prevention. Moreover, issues related to nutrition, diabetes, and tobacco use must also be considered.
According to regional modeling, a combination of improved treatments, public-private interactions, rapid diagnostics, and targeted prevention can significantly reduce the incidence and mortality from tuberculosis. Overall, with the introduction of the tuberculosis vaccine in ٢٠٢٨ alongside these interventions, it is possible to prevent approximately ١.٤٥ million new tuberculosis cases and ٣٠٠,٠٠٠ deaths by ٢٠٣٠.
Since ٢٠١٥, this region has made progress, achieving treatment coverage exceeding ٨٥% and one of the highest treatment success rates among WHO regions. However, these achievements are not sufficient to meet the goals of the End TB Strategy, which includes an ٨٠% reduction in tuberculosis incidence and a ٩٠% reduction in deaths by ٢٠٣٠ compared to ٢٠١٥.
Read more: Holding a health planning conference in Salalah, Oman · India's Covaxin receives pre-approval from the World Health Organization
